Chapter 192

He wiped the tears with his quest-issued gardening gloves and glanced again at the Demon Lord’s party. Hayato was mowing monsters down, and Medhi was swinging her staff with her best cover girl smile, beating monsters to death. Porta was hastily opening her shoulder bag and curing Wise, who was using her tome as a pillow, taking a sulk nap. “One of the monsters released a shock wave when it roared… She had her magic sealed before the fight even began. Now that takes talent,” said Masato. He considered making fun of her for it, but…figured she’d just turn it back on him. He glanced down at the fistful of weeds he’d pulled, and sighed. “Ma-kun, go on,” Mamako suddenly whispered. “Go where?” “Leave the weeding to Mommy. I can always wrap this up with the Holy Sword of Earth if I have to. So you go do what you want to do, Ma-kun. Have fun!” “Mom…!” Everyone should have a mother this kind. Masato was filled with joy and gratitude. He almost jumped to his feet… “…Nah, better not.” …but knelt back down and focused on the weeds at hand. “Ma-kun? Are you sure?” “Yeah. I am.” “Is this that thing where you don’t want my help?” Sniff. “Nah. It’s not that thing. It’s just—this is my job right now.” He was acting calm, but there was a fierce debate going on within. Naturally, he wanted to go fight. Cut loose with all his friends. Abandon this grunt work and enjoy himself. Deep down, that’s what he really wanted. But he thought doing that would be conceding defeat. I feel like this is exactly what Dad’s trying to test. Obviously, he felt stupid taking this so seriously. But he really didn’t want to give in. So Masato sucked it up and attacked the weeds in front of him. “I said I’d do this. So I’m gonna finish it. I want Dad to know I’m a man of my word. Show him I’ve grown up, y’know.” “Ma-kun…! How mature! Sniff!” His mother was moved to tears! “Yeah, yeah, don’t cry. Quit goofing off and let’s get this done.” “Hee-hee. Fair. The sooner we’re done…the sooner you can go!” “Exactly! I can join the fray with my head held high.” He still had an impatient childish side. To help him focus, he turned his back on the Demon Lord’s party. Work was work. He loved work. Hayato’s party were staring at Masato’s back. “Masato’s really hanging in there! Mama looks so happy!” “I figured he’d give up immediately, but he’s actually trying. Pisses me off.” “Since when did he have such impressive willpower? I can’t stand it.” “Um, Wise, Medhi? My son’s diligently applying himself, so I’m not sure why that’s upsetting you…” “Take it as a compliment,” said Wise. “Don’t worry about it, Masato’s dad.” “Y-you’re sure? …Teens these days with their slang…” Wise and Medhi did indeed look rather happy. As happy as Hayato was confused. But when he looked back over at his son, his gaze was gentle—peaceful. Hayato’s party and Masato’s party spent a while attacking monsters and weeds, respectively. Tasks completed, they headed back to the Catharn guild. First order of business: Report back to the receptionist. “Demon Lord Hayato, good work on your extermination,” she said. “It seems the midsized dragon escaped the dungeon and you took it out along with the monsters on the road, so this is your reward.” “Thank you kindly.” A hefty leather bag of coins was dropped into his palm. With the bonus fee, it was clearly over ten thousand mum. “Next, um…Mamako’s son, right?” “We never even told you Mom’s name, so how does that work? …Don’t tell me her presence is loosening the seal on your memories…?” “Good work on your weeding. Here is your reward.” Masato held out his hand, and a few scant coins were dropped into it. Less than two thousand mum. Hourly wage of a thousand mum each. Masato glanced sidelong at Hayato’s laden pouch, then at the coins in his palm, and really wanted to let that wriggling frustration lash out, but… “…Nah, this is just a start. Gotta work my way up.” The money they earned meant something. He put it carefully in his pocket. “Hee-hee-hee. Ma-kun.” “Oh, right.” He handed Mamako her half. Hayato was grinning at them. “Sorry to strike an early lead. Well, Masato? If the harsh reality of the modern workplace is too much for you, we could call it quits.” “Don’t make me laugh. I’m doing just fine. And I’m gonna take something better next time—gonna make them let me.” “That’s the spirit! Let’s find our next quests.” “First, got a sec? I wanna ask you a favor,” Wise said, hand raised. Medhi and Porta were with her. “The three of us would like to change parties.” “I wanna join Masato’s side!” “Oh-ho? No longer playing as the Demon Lord’s minions? You’d rather be in the Hero’s party again? You’ve got a lot of nerve.” The Demon Lord shot them a chilling glare, his hand reaching for the hilt of his blade. “Wha?!” “F-for real?” “Eep!” His blade was merciless and brooked no treachery…! But Hayato himself just smiled. “Excellent suggestion. Do as you please!” “Er…y-you’re sure? Really?” “Really. All three of you wish to help Masato out, yes?” “Yes! I want to be useful to him!” “Watching him work hard like that inevitably led me to that realization.” “Ha-ha-ha…I’ll assume that’s a compliment. What do you say, Masato?” Hayato lightly clapped his son on the shoulder. “You earned their change of hearts all on your own. That is to say—” “You don’t have to tell me—this is a reward no money can buy, right? I appreciate it.” “Excellent! Then I shall forfeit your beloved companions.” “Thanks. I only need Porta, though.” He took Porta’s hand and headed back to Mamako. “Ow?!” Wise and Medhi had stomped on his feet. Be that as it may… The party lineups had shifted. Demon Lord Hayato was on his own, while Masato’s side had the full lineup. They once again began poring over the quest board. “We’re ready for anything now! This time I’ll get to really strut my stuff. My ultimate magic’s gonna knock down everything in its path!” “Uh-oh!” Porta squeaked. “Wise, the last fight’s seal is still active! You can’t use magic at all!” “Wha?” “I should’ve left your useless butt on my dad’s team.” “Fear not, Masato. Wise may be a lost cause, but you have me. Even if your own abilities are merely a downgraded version of your father’s, I will offer you my full support.” “I should’ve…see above.” “Hee-hee. We do so much better when we’re all together! …Oh? Ma-kun, what about this one?” Mamako picked up a posting and showed it to him. No, not a posting. A flyer for a grocery sale. “That’s not funny!” “Oh, sorry.” Moms always know when to throw in a joke. While they were fussing about, Hayato picked a quest and took it to the counter. “You can clearly handle this on your own, Demon Lord Hayato. Exterminate the monsters in the mines near Yomamaburg. Do your worst!” “Always do.” He glanced back at his son with a grin. Masato wasn’t taking that lying down. “Yeah, yeah, mock me all you want. I’m gonna show you I can earn people’s respect on my own!” Mamako was right behind Masato. Plus he had Wise, Medhi, and Porta by his side. How could he lose? His competitive spirit ignited, he deliberately sought out a quest in the Yomamaburg area: Eliminate a mystery monster in the sewers beneath the city. Just to be extra sure, he adjusted his clothes and hair before heading to the counter. He’d taken that weed-pulling job seriously. But this time…! “Yeah, yeah, Mamako’s son. We’ve got a job even a noob can do.” “You’ve gotten ruder?! The heck?!” She didn’t even look at the request. One glance his way, and she slammed a different posting on the counter. It said… At the center of a barren wasteland was the merchant town of Yomamaburg, a casino haven full of dazzling lights. Not far away, at the entrance to the mines, a fierce battle was nearing its end. “Hidden Art: Demon Lord Slash! …Gosh, that feels silly.” There was a giant snake coiled around the mountain, and Hayato had unleashed a powerful attack that cleaved the head in two. The monster’s body turned to dust, which then transformed into gems that glowed like lamps. They rained on the heads of the miners watching from the shadows. The foreman in charge came running over to the Demon Lord, warm tears gushing down his rugged cheeks. “Thank you! Thank you, kind Demon Lord! You have saved us all!” “You’re quite welcome. Glad to have been of assistance.” “That varmint gobbled up all the gems we use to light the mines and left us high and dry! At last we can get back to work. You’ve been a big help. Oh, say…” “Yes?” “Given your strength, can we ask another favor? There’s been some strange critters in the sewers lately. The owner of the biggest casino is searching for talented adventurers! If you’re so inclined, seek him out!” “The biggest casino? …The owner there helped Masato and his friends once before; I swear it was in that file…,” Hayato muttered. “Very well. I’ll swing by Yomamaburg next.” “Thanks again! Bye!” Solving one issue opened new paths. Hayato was really living that RPG life. With relish. Meanwhile… “Okay, let’s get back to work!” the foreman cried. “Part-timers, earn your keep!” “Sure…” The part-timers in question were, of course…Masato’s party. The Adventurers Guild had forced them to take up mining. Masato, Wise, and Medhi were all carrying pickaxes, looking extremely gloomy. Mamako had Altura, the Holy Sword of the Ocean, and Porta her shoulder bag. The two of them looked delighted. The party of five headed down the mineshaft. It was pitch-black inside. “’Ey, li’l merchant, set up the lights for us, wouldja?” “Yes! Leave it to me!” Porta followed the foreman’s instructions and began installing glowing gems in the wall sockets. “Oh, you’re good!” “Thank you!” Her efforts earned accolades. The miners headed farther in as the roads lit up before them. After a while… “Okay, pretty lass. I’m getting parched! Can we get some water?” “Oh my. Lass? Me, with a son this big? Gosh… Hyah!” Mamako gave Altura a little swing, and water appeared in the air. To make it easier to drink, it branched out into several thin hose-like sections. “Wow! That’s so convenient!” “Drink up, folks!” Mamako’s work impressed the entire crew. Thirst quenched, the miners headed even farther in…and at last reached the active veins. Ore glittered on the walls like magic itself. “All right, buckle down! Dig, dig, dig! Part-timers, take it away!” “We’ll do our best…,” Masato replied. “Wait, we’re seriously doing this?” said Wise. “Like, is this actually adventurer work?” “We took the job and came all this way, so we can’t back out now,” Medhi told her. Mamako was in charge of water, Porta was doing her Traveling Merchant thing and set up a little shop to sell recovery items, and the other three—were doing hard labor. Wise in particular was getting surly. She tossed her pickax aside. “Yo, Wise, you can’t just do nothing.” “I’m not! We just need to get the ore out, right? My magic’ll blast it out real quick, just you watch. Spara la magia…” The instant Wise began her incantation… All the ore around began to vibrate, unleashing a mysterious hum. Wise’s magic was sealed. “Huh?! How?!” “Heyyy, Sage lassie. We’re mining ore used for crafting magic-sealin’ items here. Careful.” “You’ve gotta be kidding me!! This is a joke, right?!” A joke it was not. Her magic was still sealed. Horrified, she collapsed to the ground, head in her hands. “This quest is like my personal hell… I wanna go home…” “I feel ya there, Wise—but get it together.” “Wise has the mental fortitude of tofu. Watch and learn—I can handle any task with perfect aplomb.” Medhi flashed her patented straight-A, teen beauty smile and swung a pickax at a nearby wall. Her build was built for blunt-force damage! The tip of her tool cracked the stone wall, striking the ore buried within. The mystery vibrations expanded. Medhi’s magic was sealed. “Huh?” “Heyyy, Cleric lassie. If the ore gets rattled, it releases a magic-sealing effect. Watch yourself.” “Snort. I knew you had it in you. Thanks for that, comrade.” “But…this is your thing, Wise…! It doesn’t happen to me! Ever…!” Rumble rumble! “Medhi, relax! …Yikes, she’s too far gone.” Dark power was spewing out of her, and she began unleashing a yakuza kick upon the poor wall. Thud thud thud—doing far greater damage than she had with the pickax. “She’s more powerful than an excavator!” The foreman was impressed. “Geez, will you two take this seriously? We’re on the job.” Masato left them to their sulks and tantrums and focused on his own work. One swing at a time, the right degree of strength, mining away. Wise and Medhi were staring intently. “What, am I doing something wrong?” “Since when are you so dedicated?” Wise asked. “Uh, it’s not that big a deal. I just try and get the job done.” “That’s true, but…well, you’re usually the first to complain, or resort to a childish outburst. I’d gotten so used to it that seeing you like this is…a little creepy, to be honest. Suspicious, even.” “Creepy how?! And suspicious?! I’m just working hard! Nothing weird about that! What do you even want from me?!” How rude. They were both still staring at him in puzzlement. He made a face. “I guess I get it on some level,” he said. “I didn’t think I’d end up like this, either. Just…I dunno how to put this, but I feel like…this is how men should be.” “Is it?” Medhi asked. “My dad’s here to test me, right? So I don’t want to show him my crappy side. ’Cause I feel like if I do, I’ll have failed. So…” “Dumb kids always gotta showboat in front of their dads, huh?” said Wise. “You make it sound so bad.” “Meaningless male rivalry exists regardless of family ties.” “Don’t spell that out! But…you’re also totally on the money, Medhi. And that’s why…” Masato put his back into another pickax swing. The hard rock wall cracked, and translucent ore peered out from beneath. Transparent as crystal, yet strong enough to soak a blow from his pickax without damage. That was very durable. “Mm? What’s this thing?”